Cinéma Gaumont Opéra

2 Boulevard des Capucines,

Paris
75009

An interesting article in Boxoffice of August 17, 1946, recounts some of the story of the Paramount Theatre during the occupation of Paris by the Nazis. The scan is a bit blurry, but after clicking on the magazine image to enlarge it, you can click on the + sign in the bar that appears above it to enlarge further and most of the text will be fairly readable.

The refurbishment here is complete and all 7 screens are open…the integration with Gaumont means that big films in “Version Originale” are now opening on the neighborhood’s biggest screens…my local for nearly 2 years in Paris with among others Poseidon, The Kingdom and Rambo in French, No Country for Old Men in English, and a lot of popcorn for evenings in my office nearby…a generally higher quality of welcome and more grand experience than newer build multiplexes…lives up to its proposed grandeur

The Paramount Theatre opened on 24th November 1927 with the Merian C. Cooper/Ernest B. Schoedsack production of the Paramount Picture “Chang”-epic of the Jungle. It was preceeded by the Paramount Orchestra playing the Overture the The Mastersingers by Richard Wagner, a Paramount ‘Actualites’ short documentary “Les Yeux du Monde”(Eyes of the World), a Max Fleisher ‘Out of the Inkwell’–‘KOKO’ cartoon, English organist Reginald Foort at the Wurlitzer 2Manual/10Rank theatre organ and a stage production by Leonce Perret starring Hope Hampton, Jaque Catelain and Gina Manes in “Printemps D'Amour”(Spring of Love).

In an American trade journal (possibly Better Theaters) there is an article dated June 2nd 1928 titled ‘The Finest Theatre in Paris’. Describing the building and it’s construction it is stated that:–

‘It was built by French engineers after plans by R.E. Hall & Company of New York, architects and surveyors of several notable theatres in this country.(USA) The construction and design was carried out by Frank T. Verity of London, designer of the Plaza and Carlton theatres there and Auguste Bluysen of Paris. Major Charles H. Bell of London was the engineer in charge of the electrical installation.

The main entrance opens on a grand domed foyer in a conservative Modern French style(early Art Deco), while the auditorium design is in an Italian Renaissance style. The seating plan is orchestra, mezzanine and balcony with just over 1,900 seats distributed over three levels'.

The Theatre du Vaudeville was built in 1868-69 and opened in 1869. The Paramount Theatre was contructed within the shell of the former theatre in 1927, retaining the original corner facade and possibly other outer walls. In later years it has been known as the Paramount Opera Theatre.

Sorry Warren, I stand corrected. I took the incorrect spelling of Zukor from the book ‘Guide to Cinemas in Paris’ by Christophe Chenebault and Marie Gaussel, published in 1992. You are correct in your notes about Frank T. Verity regarding the London Plaza and Carlton Theatres. He was the architect, not interior designer and this possibly applies to the Paramount Opera Theatre. It could have been named just ‘Paramount’ when first opened?

The Paramount Opera which was built on the spot of the Vaudeville theatre and kept his former design till the 50s when a major refurbishing gave a wider sreen and carpeted walls,was not split at the same time ,it began by a new theatre underground in a former rehersal room in the 70s.This 400 club armchairs auditorium was looking like a small Normandie with a fine wooden design.
Then the big auditorium was split in two screens ex balcony 800 seats, ex stalls and mezzanine
1000 seats with a balcony.The 800 seats auditorium burnt a week before the opening.
Later the 1000 seats auditorium was split in two screens and two shops in the same building were converted in two small theatres.
Because of the spliting of big theatres in the neightbourghood a 7th screen was needed and the space of the former thea room in the rotunda became a 92 seats theatre around 1980 part of the design was moved to the ground floor to give an art deco look at the main lobby and the facade is still impressive.In 2004 this multiplexed movie palace has a policy of first run movies and special events,it is owned from the beginning by an American company.
In the 30s the show before the movie was one of the finest in Paris with the Paramount orchetra,chorus line and pipe organ.This organ was destroyed in 1970 some pipes are walled up in concrete.
The lobby of the 800 seats screen is Art Deco and well preserved.
Among the big hits of the Paramount was the C Bde Mille10 commandments in Vistavision for the first time,and i saw most of the Elvis movies around the 60s GI blues,viva las Vegas …A lot of pictures are showing the huge facade with painted adds and patrons queueing on each side for the performance.
Special sceenings for the cinema owners took place in the morning in the50s and 60s.